Hear My Silence
by Smash41KMF
Summary: A story about a girl, whose heart had been made of ice. A warm heart, frozen by pain and betrayal, chipped and broken by a life lived in isolation.  And a boy, strong and stoic like a rock. But was he strong enough...to save her? Full summary inside...
1. Prologue

Hear My Silence

By: Smash41KMF

Summary: It had been two years since he left for Germany, but when Tezuka decides to come home and spend his senior year in Japan, he's relieved to find that not much had changed. However, when an unexpected encounter with a transfer student hits Tezuka a little harder than he expects, the walls that had once protected him in a world of seclusion and silence begin to crumble, and he's thrown into the hellish reality that has isolated the soft-spoken junior her entire life.

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

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><p><em>Ponk <em>

Although they had all matured a bit and moved onto high school, he couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of landing right back where he started. That here he was, once again.

_Ponk _

He had told everyone at graduation of his plans to study abroad in order to pursue a professional career in the only sport he ever took any interest in, the game he loved - Tennis. He didn't tell them his plans also involved monitoring a past injury, not wanting to leave them with a reason to worry about him while he was halfway across the globe.

_Ponk _

However, it hadn't taken him very long, after spending a two years overseas on a scholarship and a student-visa, he found himself longing for the life he'd left behind; the people, the places, the memories. He never considered himself very sentimental, but even for him, living in a world so drastically different from what he'd always known was lonely. So here he was. Home.

_Ponk_

Not much had changed, but then a lot had. However, despite whatever may have occurred during his absence, he knew that there was one thing that would never _ever_change, no matter how far he was from home.

"OUT!"

His place was in Japan with the students of Seishun Academy and his teammates in Seigaku. He was back in Japan and it was time for Seigaku to rise from the ashes and bring the tennis world to its knees one last time.

"Game, set, and match! Echizen wins, 6 games to love."

Tezuka smirked, his hands slipping casually into the pockets of his slacks, the hem of his suit jacket lifting ever-so-slightly to show a miniscule glimpse at the black belt and crisp dress shirt hidden underneath before he turned away from the cheering crowd of Academy students that had come to watch the tennis club's favorite rookie fly through his high school ranking matches in the same fashion he had two years ago.

The cheers and cries of the rejoicing students struck something deep within him. Moments later an unusual surge of nostalgia hit him, and for some reason, Tezuka had chanced a look back to the tennis courts. What he found made him smile. And even more, he didn't care if anyone had seen it, because it what he was witnessing truly was something worth smiling about.

Standing just outside the gates to the tennis courts stood Ryoma Echizen. He lifted his head and tipped up his signature Fila cap as he brought both hands up to his mouth, his cat-like eyes gleaming as he raised his voice above all others, eyes trained solely on the tall figure standing just outside the doors to the administration's office.

"Oi, Buchou!"

Suddenly, the noise was cut off, resembling that of an old record being scratched by the needle being torn to the side; and the students surrounding the freshman fell into a shocked silence. One-by-one they followed the teen's gaze to the only person he'd ever respected enough to call 'Captain'. To say the least, jaws dropped at the sight of the small smile placed upon the senior's lips, if not his unexpected presence, and Tezuka resisted the urge to laugh. He didn't want to scare anyone... yet.

However, it wasn't long before most of the students had regained their composure, and the voice in the back of his mind was practically screaming for him to run before they had the chance to bombard him with questions. Thankfully, Echizen seemed to have caught onto the senior's distress and spoke before anyone else had the opportunity to open their mouths. But what he said even made Tezuka pause.

"It's good to have you back!" the words came as a slight surprise, but as Tezuka watched the younger teen lower his hands he felt something inside him spark to life and he nodded. Then, turning away, he placed a hand on the door handle and smiled to himself. Recomposing himself, Tezuka pulled it open in a single, fluid motion, but rather than walking straight in as most of the students had expected, Tezuka shifted to spare a glance over his shoulder, his hazel eyes meeting a burning amber before he spoke.

"It's good to be back." He called back before slipping inside and closing his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Tezuka opened his eyes and smiled. Echizen was right.

It was good to be back home.

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><p><strong>Hey everybody! I'm sorry I haven't been writing lately^^;<strong>

**I've been crazy busy lately with school and all... And Now I've got a new story! Haha, I really need to learn how to finish things... but I need ideas! I need your guys' help! I haven't gotten many reviews from my updates, so I don't even know what people want! I love writing, but it's even more fun when I can give my readers what they want, and when I don't know what it is, I don't write as well. so... basically, I want you all to review, but not just this story, but some of my others too! **

**Anywho... I love you all!**

**~Smash41KMF**


	2. Chapter 1: I'll be Here for You

Hear My Silence

By: Smash41KMF

Summary: It had been two years since he left for Germany, but when Tezuka decides to come home and spend his senior year in Japan, he's relieved to find that not much had changed. However, when an unexpected encounter with a transfer student hits Tezuka a little harder than he expects, the walls that had once protected him in a world of seclusion and silence begin to crumble, and he's thrown into the hellish reality that has isolated the soft-spoken junior her entire life.

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><p><strong>Chapter One: I'll be Here for You<strong>

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><p>"And... this," the secretary slid manila folder in front of Tezuka, "...is all the information you need on this school, a map of the campus, your schedule, and the legal documents for your parents to sign." she tone was crisp and clean, an obvious sign that she was relatively new to her job, but was trying her best to hide it. He nodded in response, before rising out of the chair and stepping forward to take the folder.<p>

"I'm sure you can probably find your own way around, but nonetheless, I am required to send a student guide with you, is that alright?" she asked politely, causing Tezuka to pause in his examination of the his class schedule. Lifting his head, he gave a small nod which was returned by a smile and hand gesture towards the door. "She's waiting just outside."

"Thank you." he said softly, giving the secretary a curt nod, before heading towards the door that led to the main hall. However, before he reached the door, the secretary called after him. She gave him a bright smile before speaking.

"It's good to see that you've come back, Tezuka-san. I hope you get to see some of your old friends, too. Good luck!" Tezuka nodded politely, before turning back and exiting the main office.

Upon opening the door, a small 'eep' resounded to his right and, out of simple curiosity, Tezuka glanced over to see a pair of familiar faces, one laughing, the other a light shade of pink. Who would have thought, the first people he saw would be Fuji and Sakuno Ryuzaki. And from the looks of it, they hadn't changed much. Sakuno still had the habit of apologizing almost excessively for being clumsy and continued to blush easily. However, he could tell that she had also grown, but not only in height. Compared to the young girl he'd known for years, this Sakuno stood straight and had an air of confidence that wasn't there in junior high school or any time beforehand. The girl had also seemed to have grown into her body a little more, appearing to be a bit more cooridnated and graceful, albeit still a little bit clumsy. At first, he almost hadn't recognized her without the twin braids of auburn hair flopping behind her, but when he looked a little closer, he found that her new choice of hair style suited her and appeared less childish. He had always known Sakuno to reject the idea of letting her hair down completely, so know it seemed as though she had compromised by getting rid of her bangs and tying her hair in a loose bun at the back of her neck. It made her look older, even if she seemed to be the same old Sakuno.

His gaze then shifted to one of his closest friends, Shusuke Fuji. Although his appearance hadn't changed nearly as much as Sakuno's, Tezuka could see the little differences in his friend's complexion. He was keeping his hair long, reaching the bottom of his chin, which had seemed to have gotten sharper, making him look older. His eyes also seemed a darker, more alluring blue than Tezuka had remembered, but than again,it had also been two years since he'd seen any of them. Either way, he was secretly glad that, of all the people he could have run into, it was the two of them. Then, as if sensing his presence, they turned with the same reaction.

"Tezuka!"

"Tezuka-sempai!"

"Hey." he said simply, watching as Sakuno straightened her skirt and Fuji handed her the books she had dropped. _No, not much had changed at all._

"So, _you _must be the 'new student' I was asked to guide around the school, Tezuka-sempai!" Sakuno concluded, smiling brightly at Tezuka, before glancing at Fuji curiously. "But, if that's the case, than why is Fuji-sempai here as well?" she said aloud, glancing over to Fuji who simply chuckled.

"I was called down to pick something up for the Photography Club." he replied lightly, before glancing at Tezuka over Sakuno's head. "But while I'm here, I might as well join you! I mean, if that's alright with _you_, Sa-ku-no-_chan_?" he purred teasingly, and as if on cue, Sakuno's cheeks were dusted with a soft pink, and she moved a few steps away from Fuji, opting to hide behind Tezuka instead. This brought a small bout of laughter upon Fuji, before he leaned past Tezuka and patted Sakuno's head a few times.

"Oh, you know that I'm just kidding, Sakuno-chan." he said softly, as if he were talking to a small child, when Sakuno boldly batted his hand away and rolled her eyes, a sight that brought a slight smile to Tezuka's lips as Fuji tried to apologize for the minor prank.

"I think that's enough, Fuji." Tezuka said in a light tone that had caused both Sakuno and Fuji to pause long enough in their playful bantering to send him a peculiar look. "What?" he asked, looking between the slightly bewildered expressions they shared, but Fuji shook his head.

"Ah, it's nothing." he said, waving his hand dismissively, before turning back to Sakuno and smiling. "Anyways, I'll leave him in your capable hands, Sakuno-chan. Just try not to have _too_ much fun with him, lest our favorite little rookie gets jealous." Tezuka blinked, a delicate eyebrow arching at the insinuation his friend was making. Fuji simply smiled and waved back, before straightening up and heading for the main office. "It's been nice seeing you again, Kunimitsu. We need to catch-up sometime after you've settled in. Ja ne." and with that, Fuji was out of sight before Tezuka could even respond.

He sighed, resisiting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose; he'd almost forgotten just how evasive his old friend could be, and how exhausting it could be to talk to him sometimes. Taking a deep breath, Tezuka was prepared to ask if Sakuno could begin the tour, but before he had the chance to speak, Sakuno beat him to it.

"I'm glad that you're back, Tezuka-kun." she said softly, glancing up from her nervous hands to meet his steady gaze, only to look down again. "It...It hasn't been the same... without you..." she continued, her small hands now clutching the hem of her uniform's skirt. Tezuka remained silent, waiting patiently for her to continued, but when she said nothing, he decided it would be better if he gave her a nudge in the right direction, again.

"It's... It's good to be home." he said softly, causing the teenager to look up in surprise. Tezuka glanced away, not wanting to look at how suddenly bright she had become because of those five simple words, but he continued nonetheless. "...Not much seemed to have changed though."

"...Well, actually... a lot _has_ changed... because of you..." she said softly, her bright mood leveling out to something akin of slight remorse, an expression Tezuka had never seen Sakuno wear - one he didn't like either. However, before he had th chance to ask, she perked up and offered a forced smile. "But enough of that! You're finally home, and I can assure that everything will be back to normal in no time at all! So, let's begin the tour!"

Sakuno hadn't even given Tezuka a chance to speak, before grasping his wrist and tugging on his arm until he began to move his legs. It didn't take long for them to fall into a comfortable silence at a easy walking pace for both of them, even if Tezuka was taller. Throughout the tour, Sakuno pointed out the different rooms for activities, and showed him to the classrooms he'd be in during the school years. And despite the cheerful front she had been putting on for the majority of the tour and through the entire morning, Tezuka could tell that there was something bothering her, but it wasn't until they reached the koi pond behind the school that he had told her to stop.

"Excuse me? What do you mean, Tezuka-sempai?" she asked gently, but it was apparent to both of them that she was lying. With a sigh, she hung her head slightly. "Sorry."

"Please, you need to stop apologizing." he tried gently, and Sakuno gave a small smile, before leading him over to one of the benches by the pond and sitting down. They sat in silence for a few minutes, but Tezuka couldn't help but watch her out of the corner of his eyes. He'd never Sakuno like this, it was as if she were being tormented by some inner demon, but she didn't want anyone else to see it, not even him. So he decided to call her out on it, now that they were alone. "Sakuno."

Sakuno's head shot up, and she looked at Tezuka in surprise. It was rare for Tezuka to call people by their given names, but even moreso for him to call her by her own. "Yes?"

"What has happened that has you so afraid of telling me about it?" he asked evenly as he watched the koi swim gracefully in the pond, knowing that if she thought he was watching her, waiting for her to answer, that she'd panic. He could already feel her stiffen beside him, and he frowned. Something was_ definitely_ wrong, and he was going to find out, whether it was through Sakuno or someone else, he didn't like seeing this sort of fear or tension from someone so fragile as Sakuno, or from anyone really.

"Sakuno?" he said softly, sliding off the bench and kneeling in front of her, forcing her to look at him. He was about to continue, but the second he caught sight of the tears forming in her eyes, he swallowed his words and sat before her helplessly. They remained like that for some time, and Tezuka was feeling more and more helpless by the second, but when he had finally opened his mouth to speak again, Sakuno's rushed exclamation left him speechless, nearly choking on his words. Tezuka cleared his throat, blinked, and then looked back up at Sakuno.

"I'm sorry... Sakuno, I couldn't possibly have heard that ri-" she didn't allow him to finish.

"Obaa-chan died last year!" she breathed, trying to control herself, before she started crying. She was so close, but she had made the mistake of looking at Tezuka's expression, and her resolve shattered. Tezuka was dumbstruck, kneeling in the dirt in front of Sakuno, unable to offer a single word of comfort and barely able to show any of the great amount of distress and angst that surged through his entire body.

"You said... that everything was changing... because of me..." he mumbled, lowering his head slightly, unable to imagine how he could have influenced the death of the girl's grandmother and that of someone he trusted dearly. And yet, the thought hurt deeply.

"Obaa-chan's death had to do with a health problem she had told anyone about. It wasn't your fault that she had cancer. No one knew about it but her. Please, don't blame yourself, Kunimitsu-kun..." she whispered, dropping the formalities. "It was your absence and the Obaa-chan's death that made things difficult..."

"How?" Sakuno blinked, lifting her handkerchief to her face and drying her tears, before looking at Tezuka and swallowing a gasp. He refused to show it, but she could see the pain in his eyes, the tension that surged his entire body, and the great amount of energy he was using to restrain himself from snapping. After drying her eyes, Sakuno lowered her hands and folded them neatly in her lap, gazing at the piece of cloth wistfully.

"When Obaa-chan died, no one had expected it. The tennis team was doing great, but the news spread much quicker than anyone had anticipated. I know you're aware of the plans Obaa0chan had for you. How she had hoped that you'd take over the team as head coach after you finished school... We all thought that at least one of the sempai-tachi would return to take her place, but it all happened to quickly... No one knew what was going to happen next... Between Ryoma-kun, Fuji-kun, and myself, we had to figure out how to straighten things out... But Fuji-kun got in trouble with the high school coach for not coming to enough practices due to helping us... Fuji-kun argued it, and Hirakui-sensei had him suspended for four matches, plus the city tournament... The other sempai-tachi wanted to support Fuji-kun, but he told them not to... Sensei still does not like Fuji-kun, even if he is the acting Buchou..." she said softly, her hands toying with the hem of her skirt again, and Tezuka reclaimed his seat beside her.

"What else happened?" he asked, half his mind in a panic about how badly things were going, while the other half was stripping every piece of information Sakuno gave him into pieces, analyzing them over and over and over again, trying to think of something that he could do to help make things better.

"Ryoma-kun's father, Nanjiroh-san, has taken over the position as the boys' senior high coach, and Hirakui-sensei was reassigned to the baseball squad... Nikomi-sensei had taken over the post as the junior high coach, but not much has happened since..." she said, her voice growing softer and softer with every sentence...

Tezuka's frown deepened, he was obviously unhappy about the turn of events, and he was about to comment when Sakuno spit out one final sentence.

"Please, join the tennis club, again!" she exclaimed, bowing to him even. Tezuka only blinked and waited for her to continue. "We need you, Tezuka-sempai. Everyone is scared, and uncertain. Yes, Nanjiroh-san is a good coach, but no one has the confidence they once had. Perhaps with you being back... it'll get better?" she said hopefully, glancing at Tezuka before taking a deep breath to try and recompose herself.

"I don't think that my presence alone will make things better, Sakuno." he replied doubtfully, but Sakuno shook her head violently.

"That's not true! You inspire people, and make them want to do their very best! So many people look up to you, sempai! Please, oh please! You love tennis, and everyone misses you! They need you, Tezuka-san! Obaa-chan had once told me that you've always been the pillar of Seigaku, and with you gone for so long, it's crumbling. But, now that you're back, you can be that pillar again, until Ryoma-kun is ready. Just like my Obaa-chan said!" she exclaimed, shooting to her feet and giving him a very strong look of determination and confidence.

Tezuka simply blinked, staring up at her, before sighing and rising to his feet. At first, his back was to her, and Sakuno feared that she had done something wrong, but when he turned back around, he cautiously took hold of both of her shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze, before straightening up again.

"You don't have to worry anymore, Sakuno." he said calmly, restraining the urge to turn back around to see if she had decided to follow. "My place is in Japan, at Seishun, and in Seigaku. I plan on turning the paperwork in to Fuji tomorrow. It may take some time, but I'll work my way back up to the top, okay?" he bent over a little, resting a hand on top of her head, just like when they were little.

"I came home, and I don't plan on leaving. So don't you ever forget what I told you the night your parents died." He said sternly, but there was something in the way he said it that made her insides buzz and his words began to fill her with a sense of warmth. Tezuka patted head once more, glad to see her mood lightening up, but he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to remind her. "I'll be here for you, Sakuno." he said gently, offering her an attempted smile, before letting her go. "No matter, how far away I may be, I'll be right here to help you, okay?" Tezuka vaguely felt as though he were talking to a child, but whatever method worked best in getting his point across to her, he was going to do it.

Why?

Because Sakuno had always been the closest thing he had to having any siblings. In fact, once everything was settled back in his house, where his parents and his grandfather lived, she would be moving in with them. The Tezukas were chosen as Sakuno's God-family from the moment she was born. Their fathers had been college roommates that never lost touch, and their mother's had become quick friends. So, as a result, he and Sakuno had known each other for as long as either of them could remember. However, upon Tezuka's request, they had kept their distance while at school or in public. While Kunimitsu Tezuka was not much of a social butterfly, he and Sakuno often spent time together over the weekends when they were younger, but that was before Tezuka became too busy with school work and tennis. They had grown further apart, and now, with the pain she had been forced to go through all alone, he hated himself for being selfish and going to Germany. So, from that moment on, he swore to himself that he'd try and be there whenever Sakuno needed him. It was the very least he could do for her.

Either way Sakuno smiled at him, the memories of him tell her those exact words the day of her parents' deaths still fresh in her brain, before standing up as well, and using a small compact mirror to clean up. Hopefully, with a little bit of luck, no one would be able to notice if she had or had not been crying, not unless they were looking _very_ closely. Once she had finished, she slung her bag back over her shoulder and led the way to the door that led back into the building.

"Come on," she said, smiling back at him, before nodding back towards the inside. "It'll be a matter of minutes before he lunch bell rights, and I'm hurry!" she said with a laugh, before leading them both inside, acting as if nothing had happened. Which left Tezuka to ponder whether or not she she actually that upset about it and all.

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><p><strong>Hey everybody! I'm sorry I haven't been writing lately^^;<strong>

**I've been crazy busy lately with school and all... And Now I've got a new story! Haha, I really need to learn how to finish things... but I need ideas! I need your guys' help! I haven't gotten many reviews from my updates, so I don't even know what people want! I love writing, but it's even more fun when I can give my readers what they want, and when I don't know what it is, I don't write as well. so... basically, I want you all to review, but not just this story, but some of my others too!**

**And before anyone asks... No, this is NOT going to be a Tezuka x Sakuno.**

**Anywho... I love you all!**

**~Smash41KMF**


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